1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stage apparatus, and more particularly, it relates to a stage apparatus moving a sample in a prescribed direction in a horizontal plane by a linear motor.
2. Description of the Background Art
In general, a stage apparatus moving a sample in a prescribed direction in a horizontal plane by a linear motor is known. Such a stage apparatus moving a sample in a prescribed direction in a horizontal plane by a linear motor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102279, for example.
In Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102279, there is disclosed a reticle stage (stage apparatus) including a reticle fine movement stage (movable table) holding a reticle (sample), driven finely in a horizontal plane and a reticle rough movement stage arranged below the reticle fine movement stage. This reticle rough movement stage is driven with a movement amount larger than that of the reticle fine movement stage in a Y-axis direction in the horizontal plane. In the reticle stage according to Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102279, a pair of linear motors to drive the reticle rough movement stage in the Y-axis direction are provided. The pair of linear motors are arranged outside the reticle rough movement stage to hold the reticle rough movement stage therebetween.
However, in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102279, the linear motors to move the reticle (sample) in the Y-axis direction in the horizontal plane are arranged outside the reticle rough movement stage to hold the reticle rough movement stage therebetween, and hence an arrangement space for the linear motors is required outside an arrangement space for the reticle rough movement stage, so that there is such inconvenience that the reticle stage (stage apparatus) increases in size. Therefore, it is difficult to downsize the stage apparatus (reticle stage) in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-102279.